Gators great Al Horford gets 1st NBA title

Al Horford is a 17-year veteran. A five-time All-Star. A universally respected locker room leader. And now — finally, after nearly two decades in professional basketball — an NBA champion.

The Celtics’ 106-88 victory over Dallas at TD Garden on Monday night both ended their 16-year championship drought and gave Horford his first NBA title.

Horford had helped the Gators win NCAA titles in the 2006 and 2007 seasons.

Entering Monday, only Karl Malone had played more NBA playoff games without a title than Horford’s 185, spread across stints with Atlanta, Boston, Philadelphia and Oklahoma City. The 38-year-old now can remove himself from that list.

“It’s been long,” a beaming Horford said postgame. “A lot of hard work. But I’m so proud to be part of this team and that it happened now.”

Horford’s unselfishness was a vital ingredient in Boston’s run to Banner 18. A starter throughout his career — including in his first five seasons as a Celtic — he accepted a move to the bench following the offseason additions of Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis, giving the Celtics the deepest roster in basketball.

When Porzingis went down with a calf injury four games into the playoffs, Horford stepped back into his familiar old role and delivered some of the most resonant performances of the postseason.

Horford hit six 3-pointers as part of a 22-point, 15-rebound, four-block tour de force in the second-round closeout win over Cleveland, then sank seven 3-pointers to help the Celtics rally past Indiana in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals.

In all 16 of its playoff victories, Boston scored more points than it allowed with Horford on the floor. He started the final 15 games, with a limited Porzingis coming off the bench three times in the Finals.

Horford played 32 minutes in Monday’s clincher, tallying nine points, nine rebounds, two assists and one steal.

“I can’t believe it,” he said. “I still can’t believe it. We did it, we’re here, but I can’t believe it. This is just how I pictured it, here at the Garden with our fans, everybody together. This is just how I saw it eight years ago.”

As the on-court trophy ceremony wound down, Horford’s father, Tito, himself an ex-NBA player, walked toward the Celtics’ family area in TD Garden, extended both arms above his head and bellowed: “Yes! We got it!”